Data Protection Policy

Dear visitors of our website,

The protection of your personal rights when handling your data is important to us. With the following information, we would like to inform you which data is processed during your visit to our website, on the basis of which legal basis the data processing takes place and what your data protection rights are.

Controller

The party responsible for the processing of personal data during your visit to our website is the WZB Berlin Social Science Center:

When you visit our website, we temporarily store so-called usage data on the basis of Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We use this information to enable you to access our website, to monitor and administer our systems, to improve the design of our website and for statistical and security purposes. These purposes pursued by us also represent the legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR.

The saved information includes:

• the website from which the file was requested
• the name of the file
• the date and time of the query
• the amount of data transferred
• the access status (file transferred, file not found)
• the description of the type of web browser used
• the IP address of the requesting computer.

We delete the IP address after seven days. No personal user profiles are created.

Cookies

“Cookies” are small files that are stored on the user's computer. A cookie is primarily used to store information about a user (or the device on which the cookie is stored) during or after the visit to an online service. To manage your visit to our website, we use so-called “session cookies”, which are deleted after you leave our website and close your browser. In the course of website analysis (see section Web analytics with Matomo) we use “permanent” cookies which remain stored on your end device even after closing the browser.

You can prevent the storage of cookies by making the appropriate settings in your browser software; however, you may not be able to use all the functions of the website to their full extent after that.

Web analytics with Matomo

Our website uses the web analytics service Matomo on the basis of Art. 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR. Matomo uses so-called “cookies”. They are text files which are stored on your computer and which enable us to analyze the use of the website. For this purpose, the information generated by the cookie about the use of the website is stored on our server, which serves to optimize our website. The IP address is anonymized before it is stored. These purposes pursued by us also represent the legitimate interest in the use of data in the sense of the legal basis.

The information about the use of this website generated by the cookie is not passed on to third parties. You can prevent the storage of cookies by setting your browser software accordingly; however, you may not be able to use all the functions of the website to their full extent after that.

If you do not agree to the storage and evaluation of the data from your visit, you can object by mouse click on this page. In this case, a so-called opt-out cookie will be stored in your browser. As a result, Matomo does not collect any session data. However, if you delete your cookies, this will also result in the opt-out cookie being deleted and possibly having to be reactivated by you.

Mailing list: Press releases, newsletters and WZBrief

We offer you the possibility to be informed regularly by e-mail about research results of the WZB. For this purpose, we require your e-mail address as well as details on the information you wish to receive. We use this data to add you to our mailing list and to send you the information. You can optionally provide us with the following data: Salutation, first and last name, address, telephone number, department, medium, freelance journalist as well as a comment. We use this data to address you personally, to send you information by post if necessary or to contact you in case of queries. The legal basis for the data processing is your freely given consent, which you have given us when registering in the mailing list. You can withdraw it at any time with effect for the future, e.g. by sending an e-mail to wzb [at] wzb.eu. Processing operations that took place before the withdrawal are not affected and remain lawful.

Event mailing list

If you are interested in the events of the WZB, you can register for our event mailing list on our website. For this purpose we collect your e-mail address and your field of interest as mandatory information. Further information such as salutation, first and last name, title, position, organization and address are optional. We use this data to address you personally. In addition, you help us to identify you unambiguously in the event of queries. The legal basis for the data processing is your freely given consent, which you have given us when registering for the event mailing list. You can withdraw it at any time with effect for the future, e.g. by sending an e-mail to wzb [at] wzb.eu. Processing operations that took place before the withdrawal are not affected and remain lawful.

Registrations for events

If you register for one of our events from this website, we store the data collected from you when you register exclusively for the purpose of event management. If we carry out the event together with another institution or for another institution, we will also forward your data to the cooperation partner so that they can plan and organize the event.

The legal basis for the above data processing are Article 6 paragraph 1 letter b GDPR and Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f GDPR, based on our interest in carrying out the events.

Alumni network

As a former WZB employee, you can register for the Alumni network. In order to contact you and to address you personally, we require your first and last name and your e-mail address as mandatory information. Your previous position at the WZB must also be entered as mandatory information so that we can subdivide the work of the Alumni network into departments. The legal basis for the data processing is your freely given consent, which you have provided us with upon registration. Optionally, you can provide us with your address and telephone number. We will use your address to send you invitations by post if you have agreed to that. Your telephone number will only ever be used to contact you prior to the alumni meeting to ask if you are available for an interview. You can also optionally inform us of your current position and the link to your homepage. With your consent, we will use this data to introduce you on the alumni homepage. Please note that information published on the internet can be accessed worldwide. Your consent may be withdrawn at any time with effect for the future, e.g. by sending an e-mail to: alumni [at] wzb.eu. Processing that took place before the withdrawal is not affected by this and remains lawful.

Use of social media services

We maintain online presences within social networks and platforms in order to communicate with interested users active there, and to inform them about our services. We would like to point out that user data may be processed outside the European Union in this context. This may involve risks for the users as it can make it more difficult to enforce their rights.

Furthermore, user data is usually processed for market research and advertising purposes. For example, user profiles can be created on the basis of user behavior and the corresponding interests of users. The user profiles can in turn be used, for example, to place advertisements inside and outside the platforms. For these purposes, cookies in which the user behavior and the user's interests are stored are usually stored on the user's computer. Furthermore, data can also be stored in the user profiles independently of the devices employed by the users (especially if the users are members of the respective platforms and are logged in to them).

The processing of the users' personal data is carried out on the basis of Art. 6 paragraph 1 letter f of the GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in communicating with the users. If the users are asked by the respective providers for their consent to data processing, this consent also establishes the legal basis for the processing.

You will find information on data protection and, if applicable, an opt-out option for the respective providers here:

You have the opportunity to contact us by electronic mail or by telephone. The data you provide will only be used to answer your enquiry. Your data will only be passed on to third parties if this is necessary to process your request. The legal basis for the use of your data is Article 6 paragraph 1 letter f of the GDPR. We have a legitimate interest in being in contact with the users of the website and in answering any questions you may have or sending information.

Requirement of data provision

The provision of your personal data is not required by law. However, some of the above data is required in order to use our website and the functions, services and contact options it contains. For example, we need your e-mail address in order to send you news from the WZB. When you enter data, we will inform you if it is necessary for the respective service or function to be provided. These corresponding entry fields are marked as mandatory. If data is required, the non-provision of this data means that the service or function in question cannot be provided. In the case of optional data, non-provision may mean that we cannot provide our services in full.

Duration of data storage

We only store your data for as long as is necessary for the provision of our services and there are no retention periods to prevent deletion.

Use of service providers

We employ service providers to provide services and process your data (so-called commissioned data processing). The service providers process the data exclusively upon instructions of the WZB and are obliged to comply with the applicable data protection regulations. All processors have been carefully selected and are only granted access to your data to the extent and for the period required that is necessary for the provision of the services.

Processing of data in countries outside the European Economic Area

Some of the service providers employed by us are located in the United States or other countries outside the European Economic Area. Companies in these countries are subject to data protection laws that may not protect personal data to the same extent as is the case in the member states of the European Union. The WZB ensures that your personal data is adequately protected by means of contractual regulations or other recognized instruments.

Data protection rights of users of this website

You have the right to request information about which of your personal data is being stored with us, and for what purpose. In addition, you can have incorrect data corrected or have data deleted if its storage is inadmissible or no longer necessary. You have the right to restriction of processing as well as the right to data portability. Furthermore, you have the right to complain to a supervisory authority about the data processing taking place.

Information on your right to object

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data. The prerequisite for this is that the data processing takes place on the basis of Art. 6 paragraph 1 letter f of the GDPR (processing for the purposes of legitimate interests).

Data protection officer of the WZB

For further information on the subject of data protection, please contact our company data protection officer: datenschutz [at] wzb.eu.